If you watched Benedict Cumberbatch star in The Imitation Game, you might remember the legendary British mathematician Alan Turing as an isolated, awkward, and lonely man.However, a racy gay short story shows that the brilliant scientist who helped crack the Nazi's Enigma Code was anything but dull.The unfinished story, titled 'Pryce's Buoy', was handwritten by Turing himself across six scruffily scrawled pages some time between 1952 and 1953.And according to the experts who transcribed it, it shows that Turing was 'playful, funny, cheeky, literary, and someone who really liked sex.'Fragments of the story have appeared in various biographies over the years, but this is the first time that the full story has been transcribed for anyone to read.Professor Sarah Dillon, of the University of Cambridge, author of the new study, said: 'We've distilled a version of Turing that is a two–dimensional stereotype.'He's come to be seen as socially unaware, entirely concerned with logic and numbers, and pretty isolated.'His short story reveals a very different man.' A racy gay short story reveals that British mathematician Alan Turing was a fun, cheeky man who 'really liked sexThe short story covers six pages of scruffy handwritten notes that have been painstakingly transcribed to reveal a very different view of the legendary mathematician. Pictured: Page five (left) and page six (right) of the manuscriptThe story follows a meeting and attempted hookup between Ron Miller, a 'working class rent boy', and a homosexual scientist named Alec Pryce who invented a device called 'Pryce's Buoy'.The pair meet after Pryce becomes 'rather exhausted with his Christmas shopping' and now 'might justifiably consider that he had earned another young man'.Interestingly, the story then deftly switches to Miller's perspective, who muses that 'if he let someone take him under the arches for ten minutes he might get five bob'.Pryce then takes Miller out to lunch at a 'reasonably good restaurant' where Turing notes that Miller 'didn't go in for lah–di–dah ways of talking. It'd come to the same anyway. Bed's bed whatever way you get into it.'Professor Dillon says: 'I love the hesitancy, the way it evokes the uncertainty of potential sexual encounter, the "am I reading this situation wrong?" worry.'However, the story then abruptly cuts off with the words 'Ron wouldn't', finishing mid–sentence without any sign of what happened next.'There was clearly more, and that's so frustrating,' says Professor Dillon.'We don't know where the rest of it went. We don't know if Turing's mum censored it. Did it get more sexually explicit? How did it end? That's frustrating but everything else is so exciting.' The unfinished story, titled Pryce's Buoy, was handwritten by Turing himself some time between 1952 and 1953 and has now been transcribed in full by Professor Professor Sarah Dillon (pictured) of the University of Cambridge Experts say this glimpse of the real Alan Turing will come as a surprise to anyone who saw Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of the scientist in The Imitation GameBut what makes this short story particularly revealing is that the character of Alec Pryce is very likely to be a fictionalised version of Turing himself.Interestingly, Turing writes that Pryce 'always liked to parade his homosexuality' and joked that he would often pretend that his invention, Pryce's Buoy, was 'spelt without the 'u''.In fact, Professor Dillon believes there is 'no doubt' that the story recalls the late 1951 sexual encounter which led to Turing's arrest on charges of 'gross indecency'.After Turing's arrest, he wrote to his friend Norman Routledge to say that the story was 'a long and fascinating one, which I shall have to make into a short story one day'.Following his conviction in March 1952, Turing was given injections of a hormone treatment intended to suppress sexual urges as a form of chemical castration.This punishment left Turing impotent, but also triggered a condition called gynecomastia, which caused the growth of breast tissue.The impact was devastating and, just two years later in 1954, Turing died by cyanide poisoning that was later ruled to be suicide.Professor Dillon adds: 'Turing died when he was only 41, and in those years running up to his death, he was trying to understand himself and his world. Literature offered him a really powerful way of doing that. This was the moment when he really felt a release, a chance to be more creative and playful.' 'Pryce's Buoy', by Alan Turing Alec Pryce was getting rather exhausted with his Christmas shopping. His method was slightly unconventional. He would walk round the shops in London + Manchester until he saw some thing which took his fancy, and think of some one of his friends and relatives who would be pleased by it. It was a sort of allegory of his method of work (though he didn't know it) which depended on waiting for inspiration.When applied to Christmas shopping this method led to variety of emotion just as much as when applied to work. Long periods of semi–despair wandering the stores, and every half hour or so, but quite erratically, something would leap out from the miserable background. This morning Alec had spent a good two hours at it. He had found a wooden fruit bowl which would just suit Mrs Bewley. She would be sure to appreciate it. Alec had also bought an electric blanket for his mother, who suffered from poor circulation. It was more than he had wanted to pay, but she certainly needed just that, and would never think of getting one for herself. One or two other minor commitments had been dealt with, but only a part of the list had been dealt with. But now it was time for lunch, and Alec was walking towards the University but looking out for a reasonably good restaurant. Alec had been working rather hard until two or three weeks before. It was about interplanetary travel. Alec had always been rather keen on such crackpot problems, but although he rather liked to let himself go rather wildly to newspaper men or on the Third programme when he got the chance, when he wrote for technically learned readers his work was quite sound, or had been when he was younger. This last paper was real good stuff: better than he'd done since his mid twenties when he had introduced the idea which is now commonly known as 'Pryce's buoy'. Alec always felt a glow of pride when this phrase was used. The rather obvious double–entendre rather pleased him too. He always liked to parade his homosexuality, and in suitable company Alec would pretend that the word was spelt without the 'u'. It was quite some time now since he had 'had' anyone, in fact not since he had met that soldier in Paris last summer. Now that his paper was finished he might justifiably consider that he had earned another young man, and he knew where he might find one who might be suitable.Ron Miller was distinctly bored. He had been out of a job for two months, and he'd got no cash. He ought to have had 10/– or so for that little job he had helped Ernie over. All he had had to do was to hold the night watchman in conversation for a few minutes whilst the others got on with it. But still it wasn't really safe. Being questioned by the police was very uncomfortable. Ron was hungry and rather cold in the December weather. If he let someone take him under the arches for ten minutes he might get five bob. The men didn't seem to be so keen for it as they were a year ago before the accident. Of course it wasn't the same as having a girl, nothing like it, but if the chap wasn't too old it wasn't unpleasant. Eric had said how his chaps would make love to him just as if he were a girl, and say such things! But these were toffs. Eric with his pansying and his pretty–pretty dolls face could get them as easy as looking. Should think he liked it quite a lot too, the dirty little swine. Used to boast he couldn't do any thing with a girl when she fancied him! That chap who was walking round the place had given him quite a look last time he came past. Wonder what kind he wants. More than he was used to get, though Eric might bring him home. There he was coming round again. This time Ron stared back, and Alec faltered in his walk and hurried on round the plot again. No doubt now of what he wanted. Didn't seem to have the nerve though. Better give him a little encouragement if he came past again. He was coming too. Ron caught Alec's eye and gave him a half–hearted smile. It was enough though. Alec approached the park seat; Ron made room for him and he sat down. Didn't seem to be very well dressed. What an overcoat! Why wasn't he saying any thing? Could he be mistaken? No, he was having a furtive look. Just a bit shy; if he wasn't careful nothing would come of it.'Got a fag?' he asked. As it happened Alec had got a fag. He didn't smoke, because he hadn't quite enough control if he did, and any way it didn't really agree with him. But he knew that if he 'clicked' he would need some cigarettes.'Doing anything this afternoon?' Alec asked suddenly. It was a standard opening. A bit brusque certainly, but he hadn't thought up anything better: any way the brusqueness tended to prevent misunderstandings. This chap would do well enough. Not a real beauty, but had a certain appeal. Beggars couldn't be choosers. He was shaking his head. 'Come and have some lunch with me.''Don't mind if I do' said Ron. He didn't go in for lah–di–dah ways of talking. It'd come to the same anyway. Bed's bed whatever way you get into it. Alec thought otherwise, and was silent for a couple of minutes as they made their way towards Grenkoff's. He'd got to go through with the lunch at least now. Ron was quite clear about this too. At least he was sure of the meal. He wasn't sure whether he'd do anything. Perhaps he'd be able to get something without. Seemed to be quite a toff after all. You could tell by the way he talked. Sounded a bit like that flashy theatrical chap who'd tried to get off with him. He wouldn't have been much catch though. No cash there. Nice to have the door opened for you by a commissionaire, and to go through first like a girl. Upstairs Alec was taking off his overcoat; underneath as always he was wearing an old sportscoat and rather unpressed worsted trousers. He didn't care to wear a suit; preferred the 'undergraduate uniform', which suited his mental age, and encouraged him to believe he was still an attractive youth. This arrested development also showed itself in his work. All men, who were not regarded as prospective sexual partners were father substitutes to whom Alec had to be continually showing off his intellectual powers. The 'undergraduate uniform' had no conscious effect on Ron. In any case his attention was now concentrated chiefly on the restaurant and its trappings. Alec was enjoying himself now. Usually when he went to a restaurant he felt self–conscious, either for being alone, or for not doing the right thing. Ron wouldn'tNote on the Text: Turing's handwriting is not easy to decipher in places; this transcription has been made with significant assistance from Jeannette Dillon and Charlie McHugh, but any errors remain the author's own.Source: Sarah Dillon, 'Pryce's Buoy': Alan Turing's autofictional short story, The Review of English Studies, 2026